Climate and Temperature:

Pearl millet cultivation is suitable in warm regions with annual rainfall of 400 to 600 mm, where temperatures between 32°C to 37°C are optimal.
To avoid reduced seed filling, irrigation during flowering can help prevent flower drop, which negatively affects seed filling in millet.
High humidity and low temperatures can increase the likelihood of the downy mildew disease.

Water Demand:

Pearl millet is cultivated in areas with annual rainfall ranging from 500 mm to 900 mm.
Kodo millet requires substantial water and thrives with rainfall between 50 cm to 60 cm.
The crop cannot withstand excessive rainfall of 90 cm or more.

Soil:

The best results for pearl millet are achieved in black cotton soil and well-drained sandy loam soil.
This crop does not thrive in acidic or waterlogged soils.
Cultivation in saturated soils is discouraged.

Soil pH:

Soils with low pH and high salinity are most suitable for its production and growth.
The optimal pH range for its growth is between 7.5 to 8.0.

Suitable pearl millet varieties for different states are as follows:

Uttar Pradesh: Pusa 443, Pusa 383, HHB 216, HHB 223, HHB 67 Improved.
Maharashtra: Sangam RHRB, H 9808, Prabhani Sampada, ICMH 365, Saburi, Shraddha, MH 179.
Rajasthan: RHB 121, RHB 154, CZP 9802, Raj 171, WCC 75, Pusa 443, RHB 58, RHB 30, RHB 90.
Gujarat: GHB 526, GHB 558, GHB 577, GHB 538, GHB 719, GHB 732, Pusa 605.
Haryana: HC 10, HC 20, Pusa 443, Pusa 383, HHB 223, HHB 216, HHB 197, HHB 67 Improved, HHB 146, HHB 117.
Madhya Pradesh: HHB 67 millet seeds, MH 23 (Pusa 23 hybrid millet), RHB 121 and RHB 127 millet seeds.

Sowing of Crops:

After deep tillage, the field should be leveled with plowing 2-3 times to prevent water stagnation.
Proper drainage must be arranged for sowing millet.
Before sowing, incorporate 10-15 tons of well-rotted manure per hectare into the soil about 15 days prior.
In rainfed areas, sowing should coincide with the first rain of the monsoon.
In northern India, the best time for sowing is the first fortnight of July. Sowing after July 25 can lead to a loss of 40 to 50 kg per hectare in daily yield.
About 5 kg of seed per hectare is required for sowing.
The crop should be sown in rows 45 to 50 cm apart. After 10 to 15 days of sowing, if the plants are dense, thinning should be done to maintain a spacing of 8 to 10 cm between plants, achieving a density of 1.75 to 2 lakh plants per hectare for optimal yield.

Crop Rotation:

Crop rotation refers to sowing different crops in a specific order within a defined area over a period.
It is essential for maintaining soil fertility. The following annual crop rotations are recommended for pearl millet:
- Millet - Wheat or Barley
- Millet - Mustard or Taramira
- Millet - Chickpea, Pea, or Lentil
- Millet - Wheat or Mustard – Guar, Sorghum, or Maize with Chickpeas
- Millet - Mustard - Summer Green Gram

Nutrient Management:

For semi-arid regions, applying 40 kg of N and 20 kg of P2O5 per hectare is recommended for pearl millet.
In arid areas, 60 kg of nitrogen and 30 kg of P2O5 per hectare is appropriate.
Sandy soils are prone to nitrogen loss due to heavy rainfall; thus, only half the nitrogen should be applied during soil preparation, with the remainder applied when the millet crop is 25 days old to enhance yield.
In black soil, the nitrogen can be applied all at once.
In soils deficient in zinc (Zn), applying 10 kg of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) before crop emergence is beneficial.

Water Management:

Although pearl millet is mainly grown in rainfed areas, moisture deficiency during flowering and seed formation is detrimental. Irrigation during these critical stages, if a water source is available, can be beneficial. Proper drainage is also crucial to avoid waterlogging.

Weed Management:

Prior to germination, apply 1 kg of Azaine or Pendimethalin mixed in 500 to 600 liters of water per hectare as a pre-emergent herbicide. Weeding should be done 25 to 30 days after sowing.

Harvesting:

Diseases and Disease Prevention:

Downy Mildew (Romil Asita Disease)

This disease appears during germination and early growth, caused by a fungus.
Symptoms: Leaves turn yellow, growth halts, and white powdery substance appears on the lower leaves in the morning. In severe cases, the plants do not produce ears, and small green leaves replace grains.
Prevention: Use certified seeds, uproot and burn infected plants, treat seeds with Ridomil MZ 72 or Thiram at 3 kg per hectare before sowing, and spray 0.2% Dithane Z 78 or 0.35% Copper Oxychloride during growth.

Ergot Disease

This disease is harmful during ear formation, resulting in honeydew-like droplets on affected ears.
Symptoms: Leaves shrivel, and white-brown patches appear on branches.
Prevention: Cut and destroy infected ears, use certified seeds, practice crop rotation, and sow early to reduce disease incidence.

Stem Borer Disease

Symptoms: Stems and larvae can damage early growth, leading to plant wilting.
Prevention: Apply 15 kg of Forate or 25 kg of Furadon, 3%, or 25 kg of Malathion, 5% per hectare in the field.

White Armyworm Disease

This pest cuts the roots and damages millet at various growth stages.
Prevention: Remove pathogens like Sclerotinia or Ergot from seeds by soaking them in a 10% salt solution, rinsing, and drying before sowing. Treat seeds with 2 grams of Bavistin per kilogram and spray 0.1% Bavistin 2-3 times on the standing crop.

Yield:

When modern techniques are applied, pearl millet yields 3 to 4.5 tons of grains and 9 to 10 tons of dry fodder per hectare under irrigated conditions, and 2 to 3 tons of grains and 6 to 7 tons of dry fodder per hectare under rainfed conditions.

Storage:

Millet grains should be sun-dried thoroughly. Store them in a suitable place when moisture content is between 8% to 10%.

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